Residents of a small Queensland town are being told it’s still too risky to head home after a massive bushfire forced evacuations. Police declared an emergency in Dirranbandi last night under the Public Safety Preservation Act, and early this morning, officers were helping residents evacuate to safety.
The Queensland Fire Department is urging those who left to stay away for now—it’s just not safe to return as firefighters continue battling the blaze that began around 2:15 p.m. yesterday, roughly 4km outside town. Thirteen fire crews, including aerial water bombers, were deployed to fight the fire through the night.
For those who evacuated, it's been tough. Many woke up today without electricity after the fire damaged power poles. Telecommunications are also down, though Telstra plans to set up a generator soon. Ergon Energy reported that about 480 customers in the Dirranbandi, Hebel, St George, Thallon, and Mungindi areas are currently without power due to fire damage. They’re working to get helicopter clearance to assess the extent of the damage and will start repairs soon, though it may take some time.
Meanwhile, the Ballonne Shire Council announced a community meeting at noon at both the St George Cultural Centre and Dirranbandi Civic Centre to keep everyone updated. Mayor Samantha O’Toole said the St George evacuation center will stay open overnight, and additional firefighting resources from Toowoomba are on the way.
No homes have been lost so far, but with temperatures forecasted to hit 42°C in Dirranbandi today, the heatwave is intensifying across inland Queensland. The Bureau of Meteorology is also warning that severe heatwave conditions are likely to spread northward tomorrow, affecting several towns across the region.
Fire authorities are on high alert, urging people to stay informed as conditions could worsen.
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